Vacuum mixing machine



`lune 12, 1928.

E. G. LooMls VACUUM MIXING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jne 12, 1928.

E. G. LOOMIS VACUUM MIXING MACHINE Filed Allg. 4, 1926 4 sheets-sheet 2 June 12, 1928,

-E. 5.` Looms VACUUM MIXING MACHINE Fl-ed Aug; 4, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 June l2, 1928. 1,673,085

E.l G. LooMls VACUUM MIXING MACHINE Filed Aug. 4, 1926 4 Sheng-sheet 4 35 chamber.

Patented June 12, 1928.v

UNITED STATES EVABTS G. LOOMIS, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

VACUUM MIXING MACHINE.

Application med August 4, 1986.- Serial'No. 126,948.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine suitable for mixing any` materials with one or more volatile constituents, the content of which it is desired to reduce. In

many cases these volatile substances are solvents which are added purposely to softenv the mass and make it more readil workable. After these solvents have serve this purpose, it is generally desirable to remove and recover them so that they may be used again. In other cases these volatiles are naturally found in the material or are added in previous processes. The purpose of this invention 1s to provide a machine which will furnish means for mixing Vor agitating the material and at the same time to reduce the pressure in the working space in the machine below that of the atmosphere so as to lower the boiling or vaporizing point of the volatile substances and by means of vacuum connections, to remove them from' the machine. This and other objects are accomplished bymy invention, one embodiment of which is hereinafter more particularly set forth. For a more detailed description of my invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying dra-wings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved mixing machine, a portion being shown in section to more clearly reveal the structure.

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing a ram which is used to elevate the ,mixing l Figure`3 is a plan view, mostly in section, of my machine. Figure 4 is a transverse section of my improved machine, the elevated positions of the 4o cover and mixing chamber being shown in dotted lines, the section being taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking inythe direction of the arrows. l

Figure 5 is another transverse section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a sectional'view showing a detail of the cover counter balancing mechamsm. Throughout the various views of the drawings similar reference characters designate similar parts.

My improved vacuum mixing machine 1 is provided with a supporting base or frame 2 shown.

which is fixed and a swinging frame 3 which carries most of the gears, shafting and mixing chamber 4 and the contents thereof, as will appear below. The frame 3 is pivoted -about the axis of the main shaft 5 and the mixin chamber has bearings 6 that turn on` trunnions 7 that are fixedly connected to the base 2. There is also a cover 8 which is held at its front by meansof'suitable fasteners 9 and at its rear by means of a tube 10 which is fixed to a horizontal pipe 11 that turns in bearings 12 which are supported by adjusting screws 13 which are in turn supported by brackets 14 which form an integral part of the frame 2.

Power for the mixing blades of the inachine is derived from a shaft 15 which is` driven by any suitable means, not shown, and this shaft turns in bearings 16 and 17 in the frame 2 and carries a pinion I18 which meshes with a correspon ing pinion v19 which is xed totthe main shaft 5 of the ma'- chine.' The main shaft 5 has bearings 20 and 21 in the frame 2 and the bears 18 and 19 are concealed by a suitable housing 22 which forms an integral part of the frame 2. A cover 23 of this housing contains the bearings 20 and 16 above described. This cover 1s secured to the housing in any suitable manner, as by screws or bolts, not A movable frame 3, as shown in Figure 3, has a number of bearings on this shaft 5, as indicated by the characters 24, 25, 26 and 27 and also two pinions 28 and. 29

shaft also passes through the trunnions 7 which form an integral part of the fixed frame 2, as above set forth."

` The pinions 28 and 29 drive their respective trains of gearing which are at opposite ends of lthe shafts 30 and 31. These shafts carry the mixing blades or paddles 32 and 33 which are preferably made and mounted in the conventional manner.

The trains of gearing for driving these blades and their shafts 30 and 31 will now be described, The shaft 30 carries two pinionsat each end, a larger pinion 34 which meshes with the pinion 28 or thepinion 29, and a smaller l'plnion 35 which meshes -with pinions 36 whic are fixed at each end o-f the shaft 31. It is essential that these trains of gears 34, 35 and 36 should be identical, but it is not essential that the shafts 30 and 31 have the which are also in the movable frame 3. This kind, at the same angular velocity and they may be given any desired angular veloclty, accordlng to the design of the gears. The shafts 30 and 31 are mounted in suitable bearings 37 in the movable frame 3 and these bea-rings are separated from the end walls 38 of the mixing chamber 4 so that anymaterials which may escape from this mixing dchamber w1ll not get to the bearings 37 `and any grease, or other material, which-may escape from the bearings 37 will not get to the interior of the mixing chamber. Qovers 39 are provided so that access may be had to thechamber, just above described, and these covers are held in place by suitablebolts 40, 1n the conventional manner.

The movable frame 3 has end covers 41 held in place by suitable bolts 42, in the conventional manner, so that the gears 34, 35 and 36 are protected and concealed, the frame 3 having suitable extensions 43 for this purpose.

Sometimes it is desirable to cool or heat the material which is being operated on by the paddles 32 and 33 and whenthis is the case, steam may be admitted by any suit- ,able means, no shown, to the chambers 44 which are shown in Figure 4 and are under the mixing chamber in which these blades 32 and 33 revolve, as above described. Suitable hand holes with covers 45, ofv the conventional kind, are providedv to permit access toY these `chambers 44.

The bottom of the mixing chamber 4 is also provided with two downwardly extending ears 46 which have a pivotal connection with a ram 47. This ram 47 has a cylinder 48 which at one end is closed by a cylinder head 49 and at the other by a cylinder head 50. The cylinder head 50 is preferably made in the form of an ordinary screw cap and the cylinder head 49 is preferably made in the form of a. similar cap with a perforated extension 51 through which passes a hollow piston rod 52. This hollow piston rod carries a piston 53 which is also hollow and has a U packing 54, of the conventional end near the cylinder head 50. The other end of 'the piston rod 52 is provided with a coupling 55 which is pivotally mounted and to which it is connected with a fluld tight joint and this coupling is mounted in suitable bearings 56 set in the frame 2. It is connected to a pipe 57 under which fluid flows when under pressure subject to the control of a suitable handfvalve 5 8 which is placed at any convenient locat1on. It is preferably a three-way valve which may be used either to admit pressure to the interior of the piston 52 or to open the interior of this piston to the atmosphere, as desired, so that by simply turning the valve 58 it is possible to operate the ram. Wfhen the ram operates the cylinder 48 slides on the piston 53 and separates the ears 46 from the coupling 55 so that the mixing chamber 4 and its attached parts may. be lifted to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 4 for dumping or for loadlng, this mixing chamber being thrown on the trunnion 7, as a pivot. Vhen pressure 1s released, by opening the interior of the piston 53 and piston rod 52 to the atmosphere, the weight of the mixing chamber is sufuclent to cause it to return to its normal position shown infull lines in Figure 4. t

For the purpose of getting the mixing chamber in the right position when lowered, itis preferable to provide the frame-2 with an ear 59 in which is mounted a set screw 60 by which the requisite adjustment may be had. It is desirable that the top of the mixing chamber 4' should not be leveled, but that it should slope gently from the front to the rear of the machine for a purpose which will be described below.

The top of the mixing chamber 4 is preferably made smooth, although it may be made in any desirable way and it is engaged by a packing 6l secured to the bottom of the cover 8. The lower edge of this cover 8 is preferably made, as shown in Figure 4, so as to provide a gutter 62 extending about its lower edge and on the interior thereof and to the tube .10 through which this cover is pivoted, as above described, and the position of the s'et screw 60 is such that this gutter 62 is inclined from the front to the rear so that all liquid which condenscs on the interior of the cover 8 will be held by capillary attraction to the under side of the cover and thence be drawn by gravity to the gutter 62 which, because it is inclined. as above stated, will drain into the tube l0 and from thence to the pipe 11 and from there through the coupling 63 to the fixed pipe 64 and thence through the valve 65 to the eX- haust apparatus which is not shown.

It is desirable that the cover 8 rises whenever the catch 9 isreleased and it is evident that it cannot rise as long as there is a partial vacuum in the mixing chamber 4. To overcome this partial vacuum with facility,y a relief valve 66 isplaced at any convenient location and near the handle of the catch 9. When this relief valve is open to atmosphere and the catch 9 released, the cover will rise automatically because of the over-balancing mechanism which will now be described. When the reverse operation occurs and the cover is lowered, it is controlled through the handle 67 which is grasped by the operator and by using a little force, he overcomes the counter-balancing mechanism and lowers vthe cover and thereafter secures the same by locking the catch 9 in a manner which will be described below.

The counter-balancing mechanism will now be described. The pipe 11 is connected to the cover 8not only by vthe tube 10, but

also by suitable webs 68 which haveA suitable -mg c amber 4 is ears 69 extending therefrom which are pivotally connected with spring caps 70. The spring caps 70 surmount suitable coil springs 71 that run to a suitable fixed support 2 which is a part of the base 2. These s rings 71 surround a suitable tube 73 whic also rests on this base 72 .and passes through the spring cap 70 with a sliding t. A holding bolt 74 for each tube passes throu h a suitable perforation inthe base 72 an through each tube to its top and each bolt is pro vided with a cap 76 which rests on top of its tube 7 3 and a nut 75 for holding the cap in place. The strength of said springs 71 is4 such that they over-balance the weight of the cover 8 when in its lowered position and as the cover rises and the springs 71-elongate,

the tension of these springs lessens so as to correspond with the reduced stress on these springs due to the' approach of the center of gravity of the cover 8 to the. position of balance.

' It is obvious that the upward movement of the cover 8 should belimited `so that it will not go ltoo far and it is limited 'in the following manner. The frame 2 carries a lug or other means 77 to which a chain 78 is attached and the other end of this chain 78 is secured to a corresponding lug 79-on an ear 69 (see Figure 6). This chain is long enough to allow the cover 8 to rest to substantially the osition shown. in dotted lines and when t is occurs this chain will rest snug against the bottom of the mixing chamber 4, as indicated by the broken line-78 in Figure 5. When the ram l47 is actuated, as above described, so as to raise the mixing chamber 4, the cover -can rise until it reaches the position indicated in Fi ure 4 and remain therefuntil the mixy dumped and reloaded. Thereafter, when the-mixingchamber 14 is lowered it again engages the chain 78 so asf to pull the cover down until the cover assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 and thereafter-it may be further lowered vby the operator who asps the handle 67 which has been descri ed above. By adjusting the set screws'12 which govern the position ofthe bearing 11- it is s sible to get an adjustment which ena les the cover and mixing chamber to function, as above described.

The catch 9, which has been referred to above, has novel features which will now be described, beginning with the -handle 80 which is pivoted at 81 on the exterior of the mixer 4. This handle has two laterally extending ears which are pivotally connected to the bolts 82, which extend laterally in each direction and through suitable perforations in the exterior anges of the mixing chamber and terminate in two laterally extending heads 83. These heads engage pivotally mounted dogs 84 which are shaped substantially as shown, so that they will swing on. their respective pivots 85 and these pivots areplaced in the lower ends of the catches 86 which, at their upper ends, are pivoted at 87 between integral ears `88 that extend from the top of the cover 8.-

When released, the dogs 84 by their own vweight will swing free of the laterally extending top flanges 90 of the mixing chamber 4.4 When the handle is' thrown into the position shown in Figure 1, these dogs are thrown uder these flanges and,

thereby lock the cover 8in place.

Operation.

In view of the foregoing, the operation of my'improved mixer will be readily understood. Assuming that the valve is closed and the cover raised to the position shown in Figure 5 -or to the position shown in Figure 4,'as may be convenient, the mix- 'ing chamber is loaded, and if necessary, lowered to the position shown in full lines in Figure 4. The cover is then lowered and locked in place and,` then. the valve 65 is opened and the exhaust applied and also the blades 32 and 33 are set in motion, in the conventional manner, thereby kneading the dough or working the mass in the mixing chamber and stirring it so that its volatile contents may escape. If necessary, heat is applied in the chambers 44, in the conventionalmanner, and in any event, the mass in the mixer is thoroughly worked and its volatile roducts expelled. This is continued until t e mass has been suiiicientv ly worked and exhausted and thereafter the Yblades may be stopped, the valve 65 closed` -the valve 66 ol ened until atmospheric pressure exists in t e mixer and then closed and thereafter the handle 80 may be thrown so as to open the catch 9 after which the cover l l v 8 will rise automaticalll ,as above described'. After it has risen s ciently, the valve 58 may be-manipulated'so as to cause the mixing chamber to be thrown, as indicated b dotted lines in Figure 4, as above describe and thereafter it may be dumped and cleaned and reloaded, and lowered, or it ma be lowered and then reloaded, as desired,

an thereafter .the cover can be lowered and the above cycley of operations mayl be repeated. If, during the working rocess of the material in the mixing c arnber, any volatile products escape which conthatQ it is not restricted thereto, but that it l dense on the cover 8, they will run alongl lshown and described one l I' fiao usb

is broad enough to cover all structures that come within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim is: j 1. In a machine of the class described, a mixing chamber, means for agitating material in said chamber, a cover provided with a.v gutter for carrying away from said mixing chamber condensed vapors from inner surface of said cover.

2. In a machine of the class described, a mixing chamber, means for agitating material in said chamber, a cover adapted to close the same, said cover-being provided with a gutter around its inner edge arranged to catch the condensed vapors on inner surface of said cover andA to drain such condensate away from said mixing chamber.

3. In a machine of the class described, a mixing chamber, means 'for agitating mate- 'rial in said chamber, a cover provided with a gutter for carrying away from said mixing chamber condensed vapors from inner surface of.said cover, said gutter connecting with a drain communicating with a vacuum system.

' 4. In a machine of the class described, a mixing chamber, ,means for agitating material in said chamber, a cover adapted to lit over said mixing chamber with a Huid tight joint, and provided with a connection to a vacuum system, means for draining inner surface of said cover into same vacuum system.

5. In a machine of the class described, a fixed frame, a mixing chamber mounted on said frame, means for agitating material in said chamber, a cover pivoted on said. frame and designed to swing upwardly to allow access to said chamber and downwardly to make a fluid tight joint on upper rim of said chamber, the first member of said cover being provided with a tubular passage, said tubular passage serving as a connection between said chamber "and a vacuum system and also serving as a drain from under surface of cover to lead any condensed vapors away from said mixing chamber.

6. In a machine of the class described, comprising a frame, a mixing chamber pivotally mounted on said frame, means for agitating material in said chamber, a cover adapted to fit on said mixing chamber with a iiuid tight joint, said cover being rigidly secured to a hollow hinge member, which may bev rotated in bearings secured to lthe main frame, and which allows said cover to be swung'up and away from the mixing chamber, said hollow hinge member being connected to. a vacuum system by means of a swivel joint and serving as a pipe connection to the interior of the mixing cham- 7. In a machine of the class described, a mixing chamber with a. cover mounted thereon, means for exhausting said chamber through said cover and a gutter in said cover ldraining into the passage through which the chamber is exhausted.

8. In a machine of the class described, a fixed frame and a movable frame containing a mixing chamber, paddles and driving mechanism for the paddles, a cover adapted to close the mixing chamber and means for pivotally connecting thel cover and the fixed frame, means for securing the cover in place with a fluid tight joint, counter-balancing means for raising the cover when released by the holding means, means for limiting the upward movement of the cover, according to the position of the mixing chamber and a ram connected to the mixing chamber for raising the same to its dumping position.

9. In a machine of the class described, a mixing chamber, means for agitating material in said chamber, a pivotally mounted cover, the pivotal member being rigidly attached tothe cover and of tubular section so as to serve also for a connection to the interior of said mixing chamber.

10. In a machinev of the class described, a fixed frame, a mixing' chamber, mounted thereon, a cover pivotally mounted by means of a hinge member on said fixed frame, and in its lower position, adapted to iiton upper rim of mixing-chamber with a fluid tight joint, said hinge member being `tubular in section and serving also as a connection to the interior of said mixing chamber.

ll. In a machine of the class described, a fixed frame, a mixing chamber mounted thereon, a cover pivotally mounted by means of a hinge memberon said fixed frame', and in its lower position, adapted to t on upper rim of mixing chamber, with a Huid tight joint, said hinge member being tubular in section and through a swivel joint connecting the interior of the mixing chamber to a suitable vacuum system.

lll() 12. In a machine of the class described, a A

ixed'frame, a mixing chamber mount-ed thereon, a cover pivotally mounted by means of' a hinge member on said xed frame, and in its lower position, adapted to fit on up'- per rim of mixing chamber with a fluid tight joint, said hinge member being tubular in section and serving also as a connection to the interior of said mixing chamber, said cover being kprovided with a gutter about its lower rim and said tubular hinge memvber being arranged also to serve as a drain for said gutter, to remove vcondensed vapors from the interior surface of the cover away from the mixing chamber.

y13. In a machine of theclass described. a fixed frame, a mixing chamber pivotally mounted thereon, and arranged toswing forwardly-into a position for emptying, a cover being provided with a tubular passage adapted to serve as ,a connection from the 1nterior of the mixing chamber and also a drain for the condensation from the under surface of the cover.

14. In a machine of the class described, a xed frame and a movable frame pivotally mounted thereon, a mixing chamber in said movable frame and gear chambers, paddles and paddle shafts passing through said mixing chamber and into the gears 1n gear chambers, the gear chambers connected to corresponding gears on theman shaft, means for tipping the mixing chamber about the pivotcd axis, a cover .pivotally connected with said fixed frame and adapted to fit on vsaid mixing chamber with a Huid tight joint,

means for securing said cover on said mix- .ing chamber, means for draining condensed vapors from under surface of said cover away from said mixing chamber, means for raising said cover, and means for producing a partial vacuum in said mixing chamberwhen the cover is lowered.

In testimony whereof, I have 4hereunto set my hand and seal this 31st day of July,

EVARTS G. LOOMIS. 

